Aquarium Care

Research has shown that watching fish swim in an aquarium reduces stress and blood pressure. Beginning a brand new aquarium requires some understanding of the process. If done without any understanding, many fish put into a new fish tank may die of new tank syndrome. This article will show you exactly how to start a new aquarium and reduce the frustration of new tank syndrome.

The first step is deciding on the size tank you would like to purchase. There are tanks with capacities of just a few gallons to tanks with over 50 gallons. When you purchase your tank, be sure to also buy a sturdy stand. You can figure the weight of a filled tank by multiplying the total tank gallons by 10. If your tank holds 40 gallons of water, it would weigh 400 pounds filled.

After choosing the tank, other supplies you will need include a filter, air pump, hood, gravel, heater, ammonia, nitrite and pH test kits and water conditioner. You will also need an algae scraper, gravel siphon and decoration. Plan to purchase between one and 1.5 pounds of gravel per gallon of water. Hold off on buying the fish for now. If you have added an EcoBio-Stone, it will need some time to build up an adequate amount of beneficial bacteria before adding fish; otherwise, your fish could succumb to new tank syndrome. New tank syndrome, a condition where fish die a short time after being introduced to a new tank, is caused by high nitrite and ammonia levels. If fish are put into a new aquarium, there may not be enough beneficial bacteria to keep the nitrite and ammonia levels at a safe level.

Once you have your supplies, if you have purchased an EcoBio-Stone, be sure to place it in chlorine-free water and let it soak overnight. While it is soaking, it is time to start putting your aquarium together. Your first step is rinsing the tank and gravel thoroughly. Do not use soap or any other kind of detergent. This will kill the fish. Next, set up the filter and the heater according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Now add the gravel, decorations and attach the air pump to any decorations that require it. Follow this with water. Make sure you add a water conditioner to remove any harmful chemicals, such as chlorine, from the water. A water conditioner will keep the pH level at 7.0, which is what most fish thrive in. Set the heater to a level that will keep the water between 76-78 degrees Fahrenheit. After soaking the stone, add it to your tank. Now it is time to cycle your aquarium.

To avoid new tank syndrome, you must cycle your aquarium. Cycling your aquarium refers to the process of letting the aquarium build up enough good bacteria to support fish. On its own it takes about 35 days to build up enough good bacteria to keep ammonia and nitrite levels in check. Using EcoBio-Stone, your tank will have colonies of good bacteria built quite quickly. One block lasts about two years and will keep your tank water clear and bacteria levels at the correct amount.

Now is the time to buy just two or three fish. Before releasing the fish into the aquarium, set the plastic bag you carried them home in into the tank. This allows the fish to adjust to the water temperature. Wait 10 minutes. Gently release the fish and throw the water in the bag away as it will have fish waste in it.

Each week you should check the pH levels, nitrite and ammonia levels. The latter two should be zero. Each month change 20% of the water (remember to add water conditioner), clean the gravel using the siphon. Add new activated carbon to the filter and wash the filter itself. If you take the time to learn how to start a new aquarium, you will avoid new tank syndrome and enjoy your new fish tank for years to come.

An EcoBio-Stone is a must when you prepare to start a new aquarium. It helps to provide attractive equipment and healthy environment for the inhabitants.

Technorati Tags: Algae, Ammonia Levels, Aquarium, Beneficial Bacteria, Blood Pressure, Chlorine, Detergent, family, Filter Air, Fish, Fish Tank, Free Water, Frustration, Gravel, hobby, New Aquarium, New Tank, Nitrite, pets, Ph Test, Short Time, Size Tank, Tank Syndrome, Test Kits, Water Conditioner

Well balanced aquarium

The hardest time to keep a balanced aquarium is when the aquarium is first being started. You add water – usually from the tank – and you condition the water as best you can but still, you sometimes lose fish in the beginning.  What is the best way to balance your aquarium?

The nitrogen cycle is an important aspect of your fish tank. It’s also called the nitrification cycle. It actually turns dangerous ammonia into nitrite and finally into nitrate, which is much safer for the fish. Ammonia is given off as part of the waste products of the fish and fish food, and is relatively toxic to the fish. Nitrifying bacteria come from the air and go into the water, starting the nitrifying cycle and help dangerous ammonia levels to go down.

A quick and easy way to balance your tank and keep it clear is to use one of the EcoBio-Block products which contain nitrifying bacteria. These multiply in the blocks and then spread into the water and attach to various things in the tank. The bacteria will then break down and reduce ammonia and nitrite levels. For example, you can start a tank with ammonia levels of 0.75 and small nitrite level of 0.1. Within a few weeks of using the EcoBio Block product, you can normally achieve ammonia, and nitrite levels of zero. The nitrogen system of the aquarium is properly balanced by the bacteria in the block and you lose much fewer fish because you don’t have an unhealthy system.

You need to balance the pH of your aquarium as well. Some can be a bit alkaline, meaning that the pH is too high or it can be acid, which means the pH is too low. Check the pH of your system using a pH test strip and then consider whether or not you need to change the pH.  Most fish can tolerate a pH of between 5.5 and 8.0 and if it is an established system with healthy fish, you may not want to make drastic pH changes in your system. If you need to lower the pH, you can try adding a piece of driftwood to your tank or add peat to your filtration system. You can raise the pH by adding coral or a seashell. Such gradual changes aren’t likely to hurt the fish but will help the fish gradually adjust to the pH changes.

All tanks eventually get some algae and some is beneficial. Too much algae, however, makes your tank unsightly and you need to prevent this as much as you can. Begin by keeping direct sunlight away from your tank. This holds true for the lighting in the tank, which should be on for no more than 12 hours per day. Make sure you go through frequent water changes so that the nutrient levels are diminished in the tank. Use algae eating fish, such as mollies, suckermouth catfish or Siamese Algae Eaters. All of these will keep your algae levels down in the aquarium.

It takes a lot of maintenance to keep your tank well-balanced. You can use a product like EcoBio-Stone to help keep that balance with a lot less maintenance. Such blocks last at least two years and will keep your fish tank healthy for a long time to come.

Tweet

Sphere: Related Content

Technorati Tags: Ammonia Levels, Aquarium, Driftwood, Filtration System, Fish Food, Fish Tank, Hardest Time, Nitrate, Nitrifying Bacteria, Nitrite Levels, Nitrogen Cycle, Nitrogen System, Peat, Ph Changes, Ph Test, Test Strip, Water Cycle

Cloudy aquarium water is disgusting to look at, dangerous for the fish to live in, and may even smell bad. What kinds of cloudy water are there and why does it happen in the first place? How do you get rid of cloudy water permanently?

There are four types of cloudy water: green, yellow, brown and white. Each comes from a different cause.

Green Cloudy Water

When a tank has too much decaying material, things like fish waste or uneaten fish food, this sets the stage for waking up to green water in your aquarium one morning. The decomposition creates nitrites. The nitrites are blue-green algae’s favorite food. Cloudy green water is created by an algae bloom.

Yellow Cloudy Water

Occasionally an aquarium owner will notice that the water has turned yellow. This can be caused by driftwood secreting tannin into the water. It can also be caused by dead plant decay or a build-up of fish waste.

Cloudy Brown Water

You may notice brown water in your tank. This is caused by brown algae overgrowth. This overgrowth is due to a lack of light in the tank.

White Cloudy Water

New aquariums may develop white, cloudy water. This is due to a bacterial bloom caused by the imbalance of bacteria and nutrients in the water. Another cause for white or grey cloudy water is dust from the aquarium decorations or gravel settling to the bottom of the tank. This is most often seen when a tank is brand new, even before fish have been put in. Be sure to rinse any new decorations prior to adding them to the tank. Gravel should be vacuumed occasionally to keep waste and uneaten food from accumulating.

Getting Rid Of Cloudy Water

To avoid getting most cases of cloudy water in the first place, it is very important that you not overfeed your fish. Fish eat whenever food is presented, so should be fed twice a day an amount that they can eat within 1-2 minutes. Use a net to take uneaten food out of the tank if it has not been eaten quickly.

A very simple way to clear cloudy water forever is by placing EcoBio-Block in the tank. EcoBio-Block will completely clear cloudy water without using chemicals and it will keep the water clean and odor-free.

Each piece of volcanic rock has live bacteria living within it. As they multiply, they disperse into the water. These bacteria are beneficial to the tank’s environment, breaking down nitrites from the waste products in the water, maintaining clear water and clearing cloudy aquarium water. One EcoBio-Block will last about two years. Aquariums with this product will need fewer water changes and generally be much less difficult to maintain. For a totally natural way to ensure the health of your fish tank, this product is really a must.

Long time aquarium keeper, Leonard Boyler’s favorite products make aquarium care and maintenance really easy from start up to clarifying your cloudy fish tank. To learn more about keeping your aquarium water clear and your fish healthy, please visit ONEdersave.com.

Technorati Tags: Algae Bloom, Aquarium, Aquarium Care, Aquarium Decorations, Aquarium Gravel, Aquarium Maintenance, Aquarium Water, Aquariums, Bacteria, Blue Green Algae, Brown Algae, Brown Water, Cloudy Aquarium, Cloudy Aquarium Water, Cloudy Water, Decay, Decomposition, Driftwood, Favorite Food, Fish Fish, Fish Tank, Fish Waste, Green Water, Material Things, Nutrients, Tannin

You may be interested to learn that the past time of keeping fish as pets has been around for far longer than you may think.

Ever since man has been what we would consider civilised, there have been people who kept fish as pets in glass tanks and outdoor ponds.

If you are just about to take your first steps as the owner of your own small aquarium then you are getting started at a time when this hobby has never been more popular.

So what do you need to do?

Well if you have no experience whatsoever in keeping fish and maintaining an aquarium then your first port of call should probably be your pet store.

The staff here should be able to put together some sort of package deal for rookies that gives you everything you need to get started.

It is common for beginners to get started with some fairly standard fish breeds so that if your first fish dies, it is not worth hundreds of dollars.

On the other hand you might be keen to jump straight in at the deep end and go for the more exotic breeds.

If you do take this route, then be sure to do all you can to educate yourself on the breed you choose.

Each breed of fish will have a slightly different set of requireements that you will need to understand.

If you can study up on these topics when you first get started then you are giving your fish the greatest possible chance at a

You should also be able to get some simple instructions from the guys at your pet store about the best way to set your aquarium up and how to keep it working.

Keeping fish is something that can become a lifetime hobby/(obsession).

Your fish tank or aquarium will be a grat source of relaxation for you and for other members of your household.

Keep in mind that the more information you learn, the greater your enjoyment of your new hobby will most likely be.

Visit Discus Fish today to learn the secrets to successfully owning this magnificent Amazonian fish. Discus Fish Information.

Technorati Tags: Amazonian Fish, Aquarium, breeding fish, discus fish, Exotic Breeds, First Fish, First Steps, Fish Aquarium, Fish As Pets, Fish Breeds, Fish Discus, fish info, Fish Information, Fish Pets, Fish Tank, Glass Tanks, hobbies, Keeping Fish, lesiure, Lifetime Hobby, Maintaining An Aquarium, Outdoor Ponds, Pet Store, pets, Port Of Call, Rookies, Tropical Fish, Worth Hundreds

The hobby of keeping cichlids can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. Most people just getting started in keeping these very intelligent aquarium fish have lots of questions. Even as an experienced aquarist, I seem to learn something new everyday. Here are some tips to get you started.

The single most important thing that you need to do is to consider how big your cichlid fish will be when they reach their adult size. Oscars and some of the largest and most intelligent of the cichlids and they need a lot of room. The are simple going to need a very large tank. But don’t let that discourage you.

Oscars need at least a 55 gallon tank, and that’s just for a pair of these big guys. And guess what, if your cichlids are smaller, then a smaller tank will do. Couldn’t be any simpler than thay.

Next, the salinity of the water and proper ph levels, among other levels, can vary widely between the very diverse types of cichlids. More specifically, they can vary widely among the various American Cichlid varieties. This goes for African Cichlids also. Proper salinity and ph level is very important if you are keeping African Cichlids, so do your research wisely.

Temperature and water chemistry are very important if your cichlids are going to thrive. These levels must be monitored for African or American cichlids.

Keeping these beautiful and intelligent fish with plant life can be very challenging. Having plant in your cichlid tank may be impossible with certain varieties of cichlids. Again, research is very important.

African varieties of cichlids simply don’t do very well with plants. South American cichlids seem to have a better tolerance for plant life. But if you have Oscars, don’t bother. They love to dig plants up. Angels, however love plants and will thrive in a fully planted aquarium.

Angel fish can be some of the most enjoyable cichlids in my opinion. They even do very well in community tanks because they are generally docile and tolerate plants very well.

Visit cichlid care to learn how to keep cichlids healthy, colorful and happy. And visit keeping cichlids to learn how to keep your cichlids stress free.

Technorati Tags: Adult Size, American Cichlids, Angel Fish, aquarim fish, Aquarist, Aquarium, Aquarium Fish, Aquariums, Big Guys, cichlid care, Cichlid Fish, Cichlid Tank, Community Tanks, Fish, Fish Tank, Gallon Tank, hobbies, home, Intelligent Fish, Keeping African Cichlids, keeping cichlids, Oscars, pets, Ph Level, Ph Levels, Proper Ph, Rewarding Experience, Salinity, Single Most Important Thing, Water Chemistry